


Why Like This?

by turntochapter13



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 2x06, Alternate Ending, Barry Whump, Dont be harsh :'), Episode: s02e06 Enter Zoom, F/M, Gen, Hurt Barry, Hurt/not so much comfort, My first Flash Fic, Not Beta Read, POV Third Person, Violence, Whump, Worried David, Worried David Singh, Worried Joe, Worried Patty, cause i dont have a beta for flash, cause im a newb, or any fandom really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14663193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turntochapter13/pseuds/turntochapter13
Summary: What if instead of heading to S.T.A.R. Labs to taunt some of Barry's closest friends, Zoom stays at the CCPD? What if something got revealed that no one would have ever expected?





	Why Like This?

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if there's any mistakes. I typed it out from my notebook really quick and then got on here to post it cause i'm too lazy to check over it. So if you see any mistakes go ahead and comment and tysm for reading 
> 
> -Lili <3

Joe's a little taken aback before it even happens. It's this weird feeling that just surges through him suddenly as he's talking to Patty.

She's about to go home for the night before a fellow police woman, Officer Morris if Joe's memory serves him right, waltzes over with a pen and paper in hand stating that she forgot to fill out some quick forms at one of the sites she and Joe were working at today.

"Oh God, I'm sorry. They completely slipped my mind." Patty stated taking the thin stack from Morris. "Uh... how much is there to fill out?" she asks slightly cautious, a glimmer of hope in her eyes pleading for it not to be much. Sure, Joe hasn't been her partner for a large amount of time yet but it doesn't take long to pick up on the younger officers little habits. "Oh don't worry, it's not a ton. I bet with how fast you speed through these files usually, it'll only take you about ten minutes."

Joe could practically see the tension release in her shoulders as a broad smile peeks through. "Oh... well then I'll just finish them right here." she took the forms from Morris and clicked the pen, setting to work, not really trying to hide the "thank God" she ends up mumbling under her breath.

Joe reflexively feels a small smile form on his own face. He's really happy that Barry found such a great girl. He seems so happy with her, and the Iris situation doesn't even seem to be a term they talk about anymore, frequently at least.

He returns back to finalizing some signatures, dotting the "I's" and crossing the "T's" or whatever they say nowadays. The task absently slipping his mind and drifting into daily business after all these years of doing the exact same thing. He only has to be partially aware now to the point that he knows if he's actually signing "Joe West" under the line asking for the case file number.

"You heading out West?" Officer Carter asks from behind the desk that both Joe and Patty were hovering over with their differentiating papers. "Huh? Oh yah, yah. I'm heading home for movie night with the kids." He was actually quite anxious to get home. He knew how disappointed _everyone_ was at how the plan to capture Zoom failed and miserably at that. He and Harry had been standing there like idiots whilst Linda acted as though she were Dr. Light as she stood wary over Barry, dressed in his Flash suit and pretending to be unconscious. The stakeout seemed to drawl out forever before Team Flash called it quits. Barry's back was stiff from laying on solid asphalt for so long, Linda felt guilty and wouldn't stop blaming herself for not "playing the role right", and Harry was more agitated than ever. In the end, Iris announced that she was going to head back to work and invited Linda to join which she warily accepted after some convincing and Barry bid farewell to his adoptive father as the older man headed back to the precinct, promising him they'd meet back up around twelve, with Iris as well, with some nice Big Belly Burgers in toll, and in the meantime returned to STAR Labs to help Cisco, Caitlyn, and Harry figure out what went wrong with the plan.

"Wait… Allen isn't here?" Carter asked, looking away from his work on the computer to reach gaze with the older detective.

"Yup. He got all his work done earlier, even came in before hours to get an head start on things"

"Man I wish I had Barry's stamina. Kid probably goes faster than The Flash." He chuckled returning to his work, previously furrowed brows relaxing. Joe sported a sheepish grin. _If only you knew_ … "Doubt it. Have you seen him running around here?" Spivot chimed in, pausing momentarily on her work with a wide grin plastered on her now flushed face, "Slower than Moses" she mumbled half-heartedly. "No, but I bet you like to watch him walk away all the time." Carter retorted earning an entertaining wheeze from Joe. Patty's mouth gaped open, "Shut up!" she shot back, punctuated with her own laughter as she launched the ball-point she'd been using right at his face. He advertently blocked it as he returned to his work, his own chuckling manner subsiding.

"Here." Carter said, keeping his eyes trained on the screen as he passed the pen back to Patty, "Get your papers done so you can go hang out with that boy-toy of yours."

"Weren't you listening? It's movie night for them." she says, partially preoccupied with trying to find where she left off.

"Well Patty, if you want to come over, you're welcome to." Joe entered in the conversation, partly hoping she wouldn't deny for Barry's sake. This stress about Zoom was getting to all of them, but still he seemed to always take on all the pressure, always blamed himself for messing something up even though it obviously wasn't his fault, convinced himself that he could somehow get faster, that he just wasn't good enough.

"Really?" she asks as she looks up, obviously trying to hide the excitement shown within her large eyes. "Of course!"

"Well okay then." she said, returning yet again to the task at hand.

"Great! Let me just finish this up and the we can be on our w-" Joe was cut off by his own self-conscious, the hairs his arm telling him something wasn't right anymore. A lump gathered in his now dry throat. Patty noticed the change in his manner almost instantly. She neglected the forms in front of her and walked up to the older policeman.

"Hey." she said, resting a hand on his stiff shoulder, brows furrowing in a knot of confusion due to the abrupt change in the previously giggly aroma. "Joe, are you okay?" Joe remained in his dazed trance.

"Joe." this time, she gripped his shoulder tighter. It seemed to do the trick.

"Huh?... Oh! Uh, yah. Just…just got a weird feelin-"

Yet again, he was interrupted, not by himself, but by the loud shattering of the largest window in the precinct, situated in the middle of the large wall opposite to the main lobby's desk where Joe and Patty stood. The glass sprayed across the room, opting many officers, including Spivot, West, ad Carter to shield their faces for their own protection. "What the hell!" Carter bellowed from behind the desk, now peeking out from under the flat surface. Patty and Joe straightened out for the same purpose, being knocked right back down on their butts as a gust of wind mixed in concoction with the all too familiar blue lightning sped past them.

Joe felt as though his heart skipped a beat, a ringing starting to form within his ears. He was overcome with fear. There was only one thing that blue lightning meant. Zoom. And with Zoom came danger; danger to the city; danger to Joe's family; danger to everything.

"Patty." Joe said, suddenly at a loss of words as he began to get to his feet, grabbing her arm to help her up as well.

"Get your gun out."

"What?" he grimaced at the loudness of her words.

"Get... your damn... gun out." he whispered, trying to spot where it went.

Other cops were starting to file into the main complex of the building, guns already raised high when the familiar vigilante, clad in black leather, made himself known, speeding to the small indoor balcony, looking down at the precinct lobby where everyone was.

"Put him down!"

"Freeze!"

"Stay where you are!"

The shouts were coming from about a dozen cops now. To Joe they felt muffled, like he was underwater. His blood was boiling, his heart aching, and his legs suddenly numb.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He hadn't even noticed that both Captain Singh and Officer Spivot had taken place on either side of him, their guns un-holstered and aimed at the monster as well. Joe looked straight into the glossy eyes of his son. Barry was dangling in Zooms hold as if a beat up ragdoll. Joe could barely stand to look. Blood seeped through the seams of his suit in some spots, while others were just slashed pieces of fabric now. His eyes were hooded and roamed from officer to officer. His mouth hung open to accommodate for the  busted lip he now sported and the pool of blood mixed with saliva that dripped from it.

"This" Zoom hissed, voice languid yet ragged, "is what you call a hero?" he raised the limp speedster farther off the ground. "Does he look strong to you now?" the speed demon asked. "He's nothing!" he shrieked, using the momentum of his speed combined with his inhumane strength to throw the now frail speedster against the nearest wall. He collided with a sickening thud. The majority of officers cringed yet kept their gaze on the terrifying Zoom.

 

It was proving difficult to even look at what remained of "The Flash", even for Patty. She barely even knew the epic hero, but she still couldn't hold back the sudden anger she felt for that god awful monster as he continued to throw the now questionably fastest man alive from one side of the precinct to the other. Hateful words spewed out of his mouth, reaching the ears of all cops down below.

"Weak"

"Nothing"

"Slow"

"The real problem"

Patty could practically feel the tension radiating through the room. She noticed Joe most of all. Anger radiating off of him like an actual visible aroma. She caught sight of his eyes welling up with tears, yet she quickly returned gaze to the problem at hand like all of her years of training had taught her to do. " _Hostage in danger; never lose gaze with the adversary, ever."_ The knowledgeable words of her old mentor echoed through her brain. Still, she couldn't help but wonder...

What was The Flash to _Joe_?

What was The Flash to _her_?

 

Singh couldn't believe his eyes. This wasn't real. The savior of Central City couldn't be on the brink of death right in front of him. But he was. By the time Zoom stopped his reign of terror on the Scarlet Speedster, the whole force's patience was growing wary as though a frayed string on the brink of snapping. He was now center with them, yet again holding The Flash up for everyone to see. Now the poor "red streak" was wheezing and his face, though still covered by his mask, was swollen in places.

"Put him down!" Singh shouted for probably the tenth time down, but this time more agitated, more enraged.

"Why don’t you see that this... this weakling is _worthless_ to your city?"

"He's more of a hero than you'll ever be!" Patty retorted, rage-driven.

Zoom tutted at the remark. "Don’t you see?" Singh could imagine the devilish smirk that probably was painted on his face just underneath the surface of that horrid mask. "I do not wish to be hero." He continued as he walked closer to the ledge of the landing. "Hero's die."

David couldn’t handle the suspense no longer. He couldn’t watch the man that he has come to respect, to see as a hero, be knocked around like he was nothing of importance.

"Shoot him! Now!" The words left his mouth before even had time to register. The police officers, probably feeling this same wave of despair, did not hesitate on their captain's order. Rounds and rounds left each and every hand gun. Singh couldn’t believe his eyes. The malicious speedster caught every single bullet with his out reached hand before blocking himself from the last one by putting the limp Flash in front of him. Everyone froze. The bullet went straight to his gut. His whole body spasmed with the unwanted intrusion. The shot created a small hole in the stomach portion of his suit. He choked out a wheeze as everyone gasped.

"No!" Joe shouted suddenly from behind Singh. He exchanged a curious glance at the older officer before being drawn back to the attention of Zoom by his haunting voice. "Behold." He began, lifting The Flash above the safety bar to dangle over nothing but empty air and hard concrete far below where everyone in the office had gathered, Singh, Spivot, and West included.

"You call this boy and inspiration, an icon, yet you fail to realize he's nothing more than a poor little kid who was struck by lightning at just the right time." David's brows furrowed reflexively, the gears turning in his brain to process the new information about the city's most known yet unknown hero, the story sounding oddly familiar, "You're just a poor little boy with no mother and a criminal father." Zoom said, turning the red clad man to face him before turning him back to face the force, obvious tears starting to well up in his hooded eyes.

Some started to exhale slowly while other scrunched up their brows, all seeming to realize something at their own pace. "So... you tell me." Zoom continued "Is this" he clasped the front of the Flash's cowl and yanked it back, earning a whimper from its wearer. He couldn't find the strength to pull his head back up. They all strained their necks trying to catch a glimpse of his face, eager to see if their assumptions were correct, _but no. They couldn't be. Could they? Could it really be_? "Central City's finest?" Zoom finally finished, then grabbing the exhausted Flash by hair raising his bobbing head up to reveal a face. Not an unfamiliar face that Singh would courteously welcome with open arms like he had imagined so many times when he thought about what people would do when The Flash was finally revealed. He would ask the noble man's name and what he did when he wasn't saving the city from dangerous metas and all other things that go bump in the night, but he already knew. He would be working on his forensics files just right upstairs. His youthful gaze would give you the impression he was an intern of some kind. He was Barry Allen.

 

Turns out he was someone to her. In fact, he was her boyfriend. The guy that was always so sweet and bright eyed, an amazing gentleman, and not to mention extremely handsome, now bloodied to a pulp right in front of her, eyes roaming lazily over each and every shocked co-worker as though praying they'd forget this ever happened. Her heart sank, breath caught in her constricted throat. She couldn't place what she was feeling. Was it pain? Frustration? Anger? Heartbreak? Pity? She wasn't sure. All that she was aware of was that Barry Allen, usually hopeful and full of life, was now being dangled from the hellish claws of the demon known as Zoom. He looked utterly tired, completely stupefied by the actions of the monster that had him in grip. His eyes continued to take in his surroundings, briefly locking gaze with her before being shaken to attention by Zoom as he continued to speak. Patty didn't have the heart to listen. She felt like she was about to fall.

 

Every witness to the event at hand stood completely still, some with blank faces and others etched in terror for their fellow co-worker. That was the thing. _Co-worker._ They knew him. He wasn't the Flash to them, he was Barry, the baby face of the precinct, a genius with such a giddy personality. The fact that he was The Infamous Flash was such a hard fact for them to retain. How did they not notice sooner? How come all the puzzle pieces were only fitting together now when he was, both, practically and literally hanging on for dear life, a look of defeat crossing his bruised features for the whole office to see. He felt so exposed, his secrets all now splayed out on the table for everyone to examine and test on. What now? What was he going to do when he survived this... _if_ he survived this. For a second, though he'd never admit it to another living soul, he wished, maybe even hoped that this would be the end. That he didn’t have to walk into the office every day from that point on and be confronted with stares left and right. He didn’t know if he'd be able to stand it. If everyone knew that he was The Flash, then they could use anyone who knew him at leverage. He couldn’t live with the fact that he would be putting everyone he knew, anyone he loved, as bait.

 

Patty just couldn’t believe it. Just the fact that Morris was jokingly calling him The Flash only moments ago made her stomach churn. She looked around her. Everyone had their eyes locked on Barry, unknown emotions washing over their eyes. Captain looked like he was on the verge of tearing up, but Joe, he seemed... different from the rest. Now of course, that’s what Patty would expect. That was his son up there, but the expression was strange juxtaposed with everyone else's expressions, if not opposite, then definitely not surprised. She couldn’t really read him as well as the other officers, but she could practically see the steam rolling out of his ears, but not just that observation was odd. He didn’t seem surprised by this new revelation. It made her wonder, was it really a revelation. Did he already know? Did that mean that Iris knew as well? The new questions upon her mind almost completely made her oblivious to the fact that Zoom had been talking for the entire duration of time since he revealed something Patty wouldn’t've guessed in a million years

 

" _I'm_ the one you all should worship. Not this pathetic... thing. _I'm_ the fastest man alive."

"Lies!" Joe shouted, rage growing almost uncontrollable. He resisted the growling urge within to just shoot him dead on the spot. He knew better though, Zoom could easily block himself with Barry again.

"You'll realize my claims are correct soon enough detective West." Zoom hissed, "But for now..." He continued, raising Barry higher above the spectating crowd, their eyes staying glued to him as every single agonizing second ticked by. "You'll have to deal without Mr. Flas- Ah!" Zoom shrieked, being taken aback, dropping Barry to the floor far down below. He yanked the dart out of his shoulder, throwing it to the floor before taking off in ablur of blue lightning. Harry suddenly came out from the corner where he was hiding, tranquilizer gun in hand and a weird almost futuristic looking cube in the other, but Joe could pay no attention to him. Barry was wheezing where he had fallen, winded from how he landed on his back. Everyone surrounded him. "Barry. Barry!" Joe cried out. Singh was behind him, calling an ambulance, Patty was behind him, trying with all her might not break down as she situated herself besides her half-conscious boyfriend, taking his limp hand in hers.

 

"M-m s-rry" Barry mumbled, uncontrollable tears streaming down his bruised face. His vision blurred in and out. His blood shot eyes roamed across the room. His mouth felt like cotton. He was trying so hard to stay awake. He refused to let the dark clouds threatening to cover his view take him under. No it wasn't going to end like this. Zoom was still out there. He couldn't let everyone down. The last thing he saw was all of his fellow co-workers surrounding him, some eyes wide, and others with their hands over their hearts and/or mouths. All he could think was _, Why. Why like this_. And then it all went pitch black.

**Author's Note:**

> Only when I was completely finished with this did I realize that I didn't explain why Harry somehow got there and what the weird looking thing in his hand was, but I just couldn't find where to put in the end so I'll just explain it here. Basically it was just a device created on Earth-2 that allows you to transport almost instantly and he used it to get to the department in time to get Zoom. I know that it's not canon, but I had no idea how to save Barry so it was a last minute thing. I'm sorry. I just love hurting Barry. :)


End file.
